Chaos Theory
by Sechskies
Summary: Gray/Lucy. Set after "Denial, Denial". Because everyone seems to think that Gray kinda-sorta-maybe likes Lucy, and the poor girl tries to deal with it.
1. she wonders, he wanders

_Here we go, loves! The much awaited sequel to "**Denial, Denial**", a one-shot I made a few months back. Reading that baby isn't really a requirement to understand the premise of this story, but it's a suggestion. For one, that ficlet is written from Gray's POV whereas this one is entirely from Lucy's, so reading both will give you a glimpse as to how they see each other personally, and... uh... hmm. Are you getting this? Bah! Just do whatever you guys want. xD_

_Anyway, this takes place around a month after Gray's poor attempt at denial in "**Denial, Denial**". As mentioned, this will be from Lucy's POV, so the story is to be narrated pretty much from her standpoint alone. _

_Oh, and for the record, I've been proofreading this for a few times already, but I might still miss a few errors. If you encounter such, don't chew me out, please. I'll beta this again when I have the time, I promise.  
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_**Standard disclaimers apply.  
>Rated T for... Well. Just because.<strong>_

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**Chaos Theory  
>By: Sechskies<strong>

_This is** not** a love story, but it **is** a story nonetheless._

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**one. **

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Lucy wonders about Gray sometimes.

Not that she particularly likes him or anything, because that is just _absurd_. Sure, he's generally nice and he _may be _a little cute as well, but he's, well, he's... _Gray_. He's just too weird for her taste.

...Then again, what precious nakama of hers isn't strange in some way? After all, weirdness seems to be an imbued quality for the wizards of Fairy Tail — heck, even she admits that she has her 'moments' at times.

If so, does that mean being weird _is _actually normal?

Suuuure. In their guild, at least.

Well. Okay. All right.

So, Gray is 'normal' — by Fairy Tail standard.

There.

And perhaps his subconscious stripping tendencies aren't all _that _bad; he _does _have a nice body anyway (fairly tanned skin, broad shoulders, slender built with toned biceps, firm pectorals, and a well-sculpted set of abs — not that she's looking), which gives the female population (Juvia, mainly) something... _delightful_ to check out. It's basically 'fanservice', as Levy puts it.

But no, she doesn't like him, she's sure of it. He may be Fairy Tail-normal, but he's still not _normal_-normal (and by that, she means her _own _standard), so thank you, but really, NO.

Then why does said mage keep on invading her thoughts?

Oh, Lucy's got a pretty good reason for that.

For starters, Gray has always been some sort of an enigma to her. Unlike Natsu, whose simple-mindedness and one-track way of thinking are constant (and she's proud to say she's beginning to get the hang of his craziness!), Gray is the complete opposite. He's secretive and cranky and _too darn confusing_, his mood swings so unpredictable that they greatly rival a girl with PMS.

And when a teammate of hers is THAT baffling, really, can anyone blame her for spending a (huge) portion of her time _struggling_ to understand how his mind works?

A big note on the 'struggling', which basically translates to "trying really hard, but failing miserably".

And then, just when she thinks he can't get any more confusing than that, weeeell... he did. Gray actually did. A month ago, to be specific.

_Great_.

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At first, Lucy made no big deal out of it and resumed to acting the same way she normally did around him, insisting that the ice wizard's newly adapted behavior had nothing to do with her, but certain events reluctantly made her think otherwise.

They started out small and quite subtle or casual even, like something a friend would have no qualms doing (albeit a bit more extreme in this case) — sitting or standing close (if not next) to her, being the first to shield her from an enemy's attack (despite her spirits' presence), barging in to her apartment much more than _usual _(meaning, Natsu and Happy), carrying her luggage on missions (when he should be helping out Erza instead because she's always got tons), and giving her the best pillows during sleepovers (and she loves him for it — but not like _that_!).

When she decided to divulge these observations to Lisanna one day, the petite lass laughingly told her that there was — in fact — nothing small or subtle or casual about them. Lucy would have liked to hear more, but for some reason, her friend refused to expound on her claim further, smiling mysteriously at her instead. This baffled her, but only by a bit, and she was quick to dismiss Lisanna's reaction as part of her 'spirited' nature — the girl has the same playful personality as her older sister, after all (and curiously enough, both of them seem to enjoy teasing her about almost _everything_).

Still, she would have liked at least a little help. Gray's 'illness' (because she doesn't know what else to call it — Condition? Transformation? Identity crisis? _Hormonal imbalance_?) was starting to muddle her up, and the _much_ _more_ extreme and stumping instances haven't even occurred yet at that point in time!

If only she knew, Lucy would have welcomed these succeeding... _mental blows_ a bit more prepared.

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Like that time last, last week when one of their clients suddenly groped her butt — before she could even react, Gray had already frozen the pervert's hand to solid crystal and proceeded to threaten him of giving his balls massive frostbites if he were to do it again. Of course, the poor lecher cowered, and when Lucy approached Gray to say her thanks, the black-haired mage gave her the same (if not, more) intense glare and began to berate her for her naiveté and 'inappropriate' choice of wardrobe.

"_When exactly did wearing a _bikini_ on a _beach_ turn inappropriate?_", she wanted to ask that time — but was too dumbfounded (or scared?) to do so.

Stupid Gray... He certainly didn't have any problems with Erza and Juvia (who managed to follow them, or stalk Gray _again_) getting hit on by the same perverted client, and they were also wearing the same 'inappropriate' outfit as her! Surely, she was perfectly capable of protecting herself from perverts (and he better _damn _well know that!), so why was he picking on her, and _only _her?

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There was also that time when they were tasked to subdue a group of rogue mages in the woodland borders of Shirotsume Town.

Lucy had summoned Loke for additional aide, who wasted no time in dispatching the hoodlums one after the other before dramatically wooing her (as always).

Really, for a guy who possessed some serious prowess in close combat, Loke was incredibly cheesy with his words of flirtation, which would _always_ make her wonder how _exactly_ was he able to bag so many girlfriends before he came back to the Spirit World. Did he seriously think he could win her over by just his looks and assertiveness?

When she decided that he was getting a bit too touchy-feely for her taste, she reached for Leo's key and prepared to get rid of the troublesome spirit, but Gray suddenly appeared out of nowhere (with Erza, Natsu and Happy in tow), grabbed Loke by the back of his collar, and wordlessly dragged him to a much secluded part of the forest.

She wanted to follow them out of concern (and confusion), but Erza stopped her and said that the two were simply having a man-to-man talk, to which Natsu snickered and Happy cheerily proclaimed that "_Gray is gonna kill Loke~_", much to her horror (and confusion... _again_).

She almost fainted in relief when Gray finally emerged from the bushes with a very much alive lion spirit, but after a few minutes of doting on Loke and making sure that he was _really _unharmed (there was NO way she'd lose her most powerful spirit just because of a _stripper_ with a PMS!), only then did she notice that:

A.) Loke was being unusually civil with her (No flirting? Really? …Odd.),  
>B.) Gray's face looked <em>much<em> redder than normal, and he appeared to be trying his very best not to look at her and Loke's direction,  
>C.) Loke would glance at Gray with a sort of gloating and arrogant air to him, and<br>D.) Erza, Natsu and Happy were watching them with poorly masked interest.

Jeez, WHAT was up with them? Lucy wanted to know, but she had this feeling that no one would tell her even if she begged them to (not that she would — Heartfilia's NEVER beg, right?), so she pretended that nothing was off.

Still... WHAT was up with EVERYONE?

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Ah, and there was also THAT time! Who could forget? Not Lucy, never her. It was the absolute winner, after all.

It was that time just a few days ago when she took a solo mission to pay her rent — working for a week as a waitress in Vanille Bistro, which turned out to be Erza's favorite sweets store.

All was well until her teammates arrived to dine in (or maybe make fun of her and her frilly maid's uniform — something the idiot Natsu and the pesky Happy did, darn them!). Erza was in her own little world of glazed peach tarts and triple chocolate truffle cakes, so she wasn't a bother.

Gray, on the other hand, was a wholly different matter; he was... staring at her—no, observing her, _studying_ her. Seriously, deeply, and — dare she say it? — intensely. Very much so. It was unnerving, and Natsu and Happy's weird (knowing) looks didn't help to lessen her anxiety.

Was there something on her face?

Were her panties showing because of her skirt's apparent lack of length?

She'd just fixed her hair, so that couldn't be the problem... right?

Lucy got so tense and conscious of herself that she couldn't fully concentrate on her job, and she tripped while carrying a tray of assorted desserts toward Table #3, which instantly triggered a domino effect of disasters all around the dining area, ending with a Purgatory Armor-clad Erza going on a wild rampage (and eventually destroying Vanille Bistro) because her precious tray of mini cakes toppled to the ground amidst the chaos and got stepped on by a _"merciless criminal"_ (according to Erza herself).

Said criminal was actually Gray, who got elbowed at the head by Natsu, who was about to beat up some guy responsible for stepping on Happy's tail, who got roughly shoved by a large, muscled man from Table #6, whose shin was kicked by a lithe, old lady, who was soaked with lemonade, thanks to an impish boy from Table #8, who had pie thrown to his face by a girl who seemed to be his twin sister, who slipped on the floor when she stepped on a neglected ice cream that belonged to the snooty teenager from Table #2, who—

—and Lucy can't remember anymore.

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...Okay, she _does_, but she'd rather forget it, really.

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Ultimately, she got fired, left the wrecked café with a bigger debt, and along with the rest of her team, was not anymore allowed to be standing (or walking, or running, or doing _anything_, really) within a ten-mile radius of Vanille Bistro AND its owner. It was her most disastrous and embarrassing mission to date, and she had a certain black-haired ice mage to blame for it all.

Of course, she couldn't just go to him and berate him like she normally would — not when he was still glowering at her the whole time they were walking back to the guild, which _kind of _scared her, so she merely bit her lip (to prevent herself from screaming in frustration) and strode next to Erza (in case he decided to attack her for who-knows-what).

But at that time, more than ever, Lucy was fully convinced that Gray's weird condition has, in fact, something to do with her, and that he was _seriously _out to get her.

Oh, and Erza's addiction to desserts needed to be checked ASAP. No one should be THAT murderous and destructive just because of some spoiled cakes. But nooooo, she couldn't possibly say that to her upfront — no, _no_, hell NO. Invoking the Titania's wrath is like cheerfully signing your death warrant. And that wasn't the point anyway!

Yes, the point IS Gray. Gray Fullbuster and his problematic behavior.

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Seriously, what is it with him nowadays?

A month ago, he was very much normal (well, as _very much normal_ as he can get), and they were perfectly fine together like the nakama they're supposed to be: he'd squabble with Natsu and she'd stop them in a tizzy before Erza found out, he'd remove his clothes and she'd throw them back at him just as fast, he'd read her manuscript and she'd push him away in panic, he'd tell her a joke and she'd laugh at them all, she'd smile at him in greeting and he'd grin back...

More importantly, she could casually approach the ice mage without him shouting or glaring or stiffening or running away from her like she had a contagious disease of some sort.

It's weird — HE is weird. What exactly happened to her normally cool nakama?

Lucy doesn't know; she can only wonder.

_(Why the sudden change of attitude?)_

_(Does he hate me now?)_

_(Did I do something wrong? Whatever it was, I didn't mean it—Honest!)_

_(Maybe he's on crack?)_

_(How did he get those rock-hard abs?)_

_(He's out to get me; I'm sure of it! ...I think.)_

And wonder she does.

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"Maybe he's got the hots for you."

Lucy promptly chokes on her iced tea. "S-seriously?" she wheezes amidst her coughing fit. She feels Lisanna's hand rubbing her back for comfort and relaxes—_almost_! If it wasn't for Levy's reckless comment, that is.

Said mage simply looks at her amusedly. "Why not?" she chimes. "I mean, all the signs — or better yet, _symptoms _— are there. He's unusually cryptic, keeps his distance but is always _there_, you know? Aloof, but not really. Um, what else?"

"Steals glances at you?" Lisanna adds helpfully.

"Yes! And he's always stepping in to protect you from enemy attacks, or wild animals, or guild members brawling, or banana peels, or... well, just about anything!" Levy finishes dreamily, hands tightly clasped in front of her chest.

Seeing the stars in her friend's eyes, Lucy shakes her head and chooses to keep mum for a moment, allowing herself to survey her surroundings instead.

Really, she should have known not to confide with the Solid Script mage about her predicament. She may be one of her closest friends in the guild, but being an eternal optimist and all, Levy is bound to warp everything around to some cheesy, romantic soap opera... like what she's doing right now. Even Lisanna is no better; she thought having her join their conversation would put things into perspective, but so far, she did nothing but back up Levy's far-fetched claims.

But who else can she possibly approach without being made fun of? Everyone else is SO out of the question, after all.

Shaking her head yet again to rid herself from such thoughts, Lucy continues to roam her gaze around with bored, chocolate-brown orbs until they chance upon one Gajeel Redfox, who seems to be alternating between eating his bowl of bolts and throwing looks at their direction, and suddenly, it becomes clear to her. Despite her dilemma and inner turmoil, she briefly lets an understanding smile blossom across her face.

"I think that applies to some other guy, Levy-chan," she remarks, earning nothing but an innocent blink from the blue-haired lass. Deciding not to pursue the topic any further (as her friend seems painfully oblivious and really, it's not her place to say anything _yet_, she deduces), Lucy lets out a sigh and veers their conversation back to its original issue. "Gray is... He's not 'aloof', like you said, and he's more weird than 'cryptic'. Also, he glares at me most of the time, okay?"

The Solid Script user is unperturbed. "But he keeps you safe, right?"

Lucy can't help but scoff at her friend's question. "Too safe! He's getting worse than Loke, actually..."

"Then, there you go!"

"But he also causes me a lot of problems," she is quick to add. "It's like he's out there to get me, ruining whatever chances I have to scrape some money for my rent. And you know how much debt I'm in right now!" Here, she slumps toward the table, resting her head on her folded arms dejectedly.

Lisanna pats her head consolingly. "Well, whatever he's done, I'm sure he didn't mean it, Lucy," When the poor girl merely whimpers in reply, she chuckles. "Believe me when I tell you that the last thing Gray wants right now is your wrath."

"What do you mean?"

"Heh?" the white-haired mage blinks, then mentally slaps herself for her carelessness. "Ah, that's—"

"Araa! What are you girls doing here all huddled up like that?" Mirajane's timing to join their little group could not have been more impeccable. With a grace that can only belong to Fairy Tail's most celebrated model, she disposes a tray of empty mugs to the sink, and approaches the three girls. "Is something the matter?"

Levy shrugs her shoulders. "Lu-chan's having problems."

"Oh, my! What kind of problem?"

"Boy problems." Lisanna answers automatically, grinning.

"Oh, _MY~_!" the waitress gasps, this time more dramatically — much to Lucy's chagrin. Sheer glee replaces the worry on Mirajane's pretty face in an instant, and she leans toward the Celestial Spirit mage, beaming a little too happily. "So Lucy's actually in lo—"

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH GRAY!" the blonde suddenly cries out (quite defensively, Lisanna and Levy note with mild amusement), cutting her off. This little outburst earns them a few curious looks from nearby patrons, and thankfully, nothing more; otherwise, Lucy will... well, she'll get _angry_. And maybe wail like a banshee, as well. _Maybe_.

"...Gray?" Mirajane repeats after a few seconds, eyebrows raised. She notices the blush beginning to form on Lucy's cheeks, and can't help but feel giddy for some reason. "Did I hear it right? _Gray_?"

"N-no, I—Gray is, h-he's, um, I mean, he—no! Just _NO_!" Lucy splutters, flushing even redder.

The flighty waitress tilts her head to the side, ignoring the flailing blonde. "Hmm... You know, I was going to say 'in lots of trouble', but... '_love_', Lucy?"

There is a hint of playfulness to her voice that Lucy didn't miss, and her left eyebrow twitches when the older girl gazes back at her, sapphire-blue eyes sparkling in mirth.

Right then and there, she decides that Mirajane is a demon.

"I wonder if Juvia knows about this..."

"NO! _Nooo_!"

Scratch that; Mirajane is _The _Demon.

It is here that Levy chooses to step in, feeling sympathetic toward her poor friend (despite the rather entertaining reaction she is showing from Mirajane's ribbing). "Ne, Mira-san, you're gonna break Lu-chan's brain if you keep on teasing her."

"Yeah. Not helping, Mira-nee."

The older Take Over mage relents almost immediately. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to make Lucy so upset." she titters, then turns her attention back to the tortured lass.

Lucy mildly loosens up at this, noting the sincere and apologetic expression on Mirajane's face. Now that the teasing is over, perhaps they can have a somber and sensible conversation from this point on.

"So, what about Gray?"

Yes, just like smart and rational women.

"He likes Lu-chan!—"

_NOT._

"—At least, that's what we think. Right, Lisanna?"

"You bet!"

Lucy nosedives once again to the counter, arms sprawled uncaringly on the wooden surface. "_This is crazy! You guys are crazy!_", she wants to say, but a small whimper escapes from her lips instead. She hears Mirajane's airy giggle, and braces herself for another bout of _torture_.

"Well, I guess that makes three of us," she utters. "If you must know, I happen to think the same."

The bluenette nudges Lucy's shoulder with her elbow. "See? _See_?" she tells her a bit too proudly.

"Levy-chaaaan..."

Mirajane taps her head this time, catching her attention. She looks up at her with guarded chocolate-brown eyes, to which the barmaid smiles cheerily.

"Ne, Lucy, remember when I told you before that Gray may have feelings for you?" she asks good-naturedly. "I was really serious back then, you know."

"What?" Lucy straightens up from her position to look at the white-haired waitress with a frown. Her eyebrows crease in confusion, before she stiffens briefly, as if remembering something, and shaking her head dismissively. "No, Mira-san, that's crazy, okay? You said the same thing about Natsu, and nothing good came out of it."

"Eh? Natsu?" Lisanna blinks in question.

"Oh, no, it's—it's nothing! Absolutely nothing!" comes the instant reply. When the short-haired girl narrows her eyes at her, Lucy laughs nervously.

"...You're being suspicious, Lucy."

"N-no, I'm not..."

"In any case," Levy intervenes, her voice loud enough for the two teens to cease their staring contest and turn to her. She leans her elbow on the table and rests her chin on her hand as she fixates her gaze at her blonde friend. "Why do you keep on brushing off the idea, Lu-chan? Is the idea of Gray crushing on you that repulsive?"

Lucy's own chocolate orbs widen in surprise. "No, of course not!" she exclaims, staring back at Levy in disbelief. "I'm not repulsed by him. No way!" Gray is her nakama, and she feels a bit offended that the smaller girl beside her would insinuate something so... so _wrong_ (for a lack of a better term) between them. Whatever happens, Lucy will never feel sickened with the ice mage — even if he strips a lot and has the tendency to casually walk around butt-naked.

"Why, then?"

Yeah, that's a good question.

"I... That's, um..."

"Perhaps Lucy already has her eyes set on someone else?" Mirajane supplies out of the blue. Her words visibly enliven Levy and Lisanna, and only make Lucy cringe.

"Ooh, is it Natsu? It's gotta be Natsu, right?" Levy coos, clapping her hands in glee.

Lisanna smirks at this and crosses her arms to her chest. "Really? For all we know, it could be Gajeel."

"Maybe it's Happy? He's cute." the petite waitress adds.

"Or that Blue Pegasus guy you were talking about before. Hibiki, right?"

Lucy rubs her head, feeling tired all of a sudden. "Guuuuys, please..." she starts to whine, when the trio looks at her with the same knowing expression.

"Definitely Loke." comes the inevitable chorus.

"Oh, my God! Enough! J-just STOP, _please_!" Lucy shrieks, desperate. This is becoming too much for the poor Celestial Spirit mage to handle, and she slaps her hands hard on the counter, cheeks tinted a bright red from mixed irritation and embarrassment. "Seriously, you guys should stop tormenting me like this! I only wanted pure help with Gray, but you just had to go way, _waaaay_ overboard. First, telling me he likes me, then setting me up with other men..." She purses her lips, locking her eyes on Mirajane's flower bracelet just in front of her to keep herself from glaring at any of her peers. "This isn't funny anymore, you know. Gray is giving me mixed signals and I have absolutely NO idea what to make of them! I couldn't ask Natsu or Happy or Erza because they'd always look at me funny, like they know something I _clearly_ don't, which really puts me off. I think even Loke knows what's up, although I doubt he'd tell me anything — they're best buddies, after all, and that leaves me all alone and so confused!" She finishes her rant by scrunching her face in sheer frustration, like a bratty princess about to throw a temper tantrum, but deflates at the last minute and simply breathes out a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping in defeat. "I hate, hate, _hate_ this..."

Levy waits for the blonde to calm down fully before she opts to start again. "Hey, Lu-chan...?" she calls out slowly and cautiously. "Don't take this the wrong way, but my best bet still goes out to the notion that he may like you."

Lucy sighs again. "You're just being a romantic, Levy-chan."

The bookworm shakes her head. "No, I'm not. I'm actually looking at this objectively," she says, the resolve in her voice evident. "Gray's actions may be weird and scary, like you said, but the thing is, I really can't think of any other reason for someone to act so out-of-character besides developing an interest in someone."

Lisanna nods in agreement, and turns to the blonde with clear, probing eyes. "Take Juvia as an example," she reveals. "She's usually cute and shy... and a little strange too, but when it comes to Gray, she's very protective of him and suspicious of everyone. It's kind of adorable, actually."

"You mean scary." Lucy can't help but add.

"Uh, okay, but you get my point, right?"

"What? That love makes you go crazy?" she counters with sarcasm.

"Exactly."

At Lisanna's quick reply, Lucy gapes at her incredulously, panic bubbling from within her. "No! I wasn't serious when I said that, okay? Love is, love is—!"

"Love is what?" Levy prompts.

Her mini outburst fades into a soft whisper as she bows her head, eyes unfocused. "...Love is... It's too much." she concludes. "Gray can't possibly... I mean, no, he—"

"Oh, quit denying, Lucy!" Lisanna interrupts with a snort. "We're _girls_; we're supposed to _know_ this!"

Mirajane hums, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "If Lucy is still in doubt, maybe she can just approach Gray and talk it out with him?"

Lucy's eyes widen in fright. "W-what?" she squeaks.

The waitress merely returns her gawp with an innocent smile.

"Yeah, that'll save us the trouble, for sure!" Levy enthusiastically pipes in, then pauses. "Where is Gray anyway?"

"L-Levy-chan!"

"He's on a job with Juvia, but they'll be back soon." Mirajane answers. She notices Lucy stiffen slightly from her seat, but decides not to say anything about it.

At her sister's reply, Lisanna pouts. "Again?" she asks to no one in particular. "I notice he's been taking one job after another recently. Last time, he was on night patrol for a small village in the outskirts of Fiore, then a proxy bouncer for some swanky nightclub with Elfman-niichan."

"Oh, he was also on guard duty at the nearby library last week," Levy adds, shrugging her shoulders. "That was before Jet and Droy came across him dragging a group of frozen bandits to the local police. Another solo mission, no doubt. What's gotten into him anyway?"

Mirajane giggles softly. "You know, I heard Natsu and Happy talking to Erza the other day," Carefully masked mischief is dancing in her sapphire depths as she continues, "They said that the reason why Gray's working so hard is because he wants to give something _special _to someone." The emphasis on the word 'special' is so painfully obvious that Lucy involuntarily backs away from her.

"Eh? Really?" Lisanna gasps.

From her right, Levy nudges her shoulder again. "See, Lu-chan? There's your proof!" she tells her, her youthful face breaking into grin so wide, the blonde is quite certain that her friend will have severe facial muscle aches later on. "If he's been working so much, it can't be for a guy, right? Unless he swings _that_ way... but I know him well enough to know he doesn't, so it's gotta be for a girl!"

"And he, or any other man for that matter, wouldn't give you something special unless he has feelings for you." Lisanna continues, raising a finger as if to prove her point.

Lucy reaches for her forgotten glass of iced tea and begins to play with her straw. "Well, um, if you put it that way..."

"I think she still needs a little more convincing..."

Lisanna lets out a heavy sigh of her own, eyes closing. "Right. Well. Back to Mira-nee's suggestion then," She turns back to the stubborn ex-princess. "Ne, Lucy, if you're going to be bull-headed about this, why don't you just ask Gray yourself and spare everyone the headache?"

The girl looks at her, alarmed. "No! I-I can't just... just walk up to him like that, Lisanna!" she stutters. "H-haven't you been listening to what I said? Gray is—h-he's, uh, kind of unstable right now..."

Unfortunately, the white-haired mage doesn't back off. "Well, then, you're just gonna have to suck it up, because I really don't see any other way around your problem."

"Yeah, you're such a skeptic, after all. Really stubborn," Levy follows up. "It's best that you hear it from Gray himself."

Lucy opens her mouth to retort, but Mirajane cuts her off when she suddenly squeezes her hand. In return, she doesn't say anything, and simply looks up at her with mixed curiosity and apprehension. Somehow, she knows that their lengthy conversation is finally drawing to a close, and feels a sense of both relief and dread.

"Don't get us wrong, okay, Lucy? We're not forcing you to talk to Gray; it was just a practical suggestion," she assures her kindly. "Whether you decide to do so or not is still up to you in the end, but think of this way..." She pauses, seemingly to mull over her next words.

Lucy doesn't realize that she has been actually holding her breath (and hanging on to her every word at that) until Mirajane gives her a meaningful smile.

_This is it!_, her knowing blue eyes seem to declare. _It is time to drive the last nail in._

"Based from what you relayed to us, and how Gray has been acting recently, it's very clear that he likes someone," The barmaid's voice is soft, yet it is laced with a firmness that leaves no room for argument or negativity. "And Lucy, as far as evidences point, there's a huge possibility that it might just be _you._"

Lucy gulps.

Gradually, _hesitantly_, she allows herself to absorb Mirajane's words.

And then—

...And then, she lets herself give in.

_Hook, line, and sinker_.

Sort of.

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**tsuzuku.**

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**History:**  
>12.15.11 ~ First published.<br>01.31.12 ~ Corrected typos. Changed Loki's spelling to Loke (the 'official' spelling, they say).  
>05.11.12 ~ Minor edits. Removed a number of annoying parentheses. :P<br>.

_So far so good? I sure hope so! *crosses fingers*  
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_Now, before you say anything, I want the lot of you to know that I had every intention of making a reference to the GrayLu tidbit cunningly provided by Gemini, but decided against it at the last minute. No worries though, because I'm SO gonna include that in the future. _

_Also, updates will most likely be erratic, I'm sad to say. I have the plot planned out already, but putting ideas into words takes a helluva lot time for me. I'm a slooooow writer, remember? That, and I need to prioritize making some dough for myself because I'm flat broke — a penniless pseudo-writer who seriously needs to ease up on shoe-shopping. (Wow. My pathetic situation kinda mirrors Lucy's, no?) I'm sure you grownups understand. **Feel free to put this in ALERT, if you want. **:)  
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_As usual, reviews, comments, criticisms, suggestions and the likes are very much welcome. **Not only do they fuel my passion for writing, but they also make for GREAT Christmas gifts!** Just sayin'. Ciao for now~! *winks*_


	2. she dreams, he shines

_Second chapter is up! I'm sorry if it took this long. When I said I'm a slooooooow writer, I wasn't exaggerating. xD_

_To make up for the long wait, I wrote this chapter totally GrayLu! Not too bland, but not too sugary — just the way we like it. :) I'm actually gearing up this story for a not-so-conventional ending, so please think of this chapter as an advanced compensation for whatever qualms you're sure to have soon. All 13 pages of it, if you may. _

_**Standard disclaimers apply.  
>Rated T for... Hmm. Lucy<strong>_ unconsciously_** checking out Gray, maybe?  
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**Chaos Theory  
>By: Sechskies<strong>

_This is** not** a love story, but it **is** a story nonetheless._

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**two. **

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Lucy sighs for what seems like the tenth time that day, shoulders sagging forward as she drags her feet along the riverbank, the ever loyal Plue in tow. The fishermen on the boat greet her with their usual "_Lucy-chan, be careful not to fall!_", and she waves back at them lazily, a tired smile on her face.

Above her, the sky is unusually dark, and heavy clouds begin to enshroud the whole of Magnolia with promises of an incoming downpour. However, the blonde pays no heed to it as she continues on her way home, too busy to reflect on anything else but the event that transpired a while ago.

Her talk with Levy, Lisanna and Mirajane has left her completely drained. It was lengthy, embarrassing, and downright frustrating, but Lucy can't deny that they made a few good points. Natsu was definitely not kidding when he told her before that Lisanna is impossible to win an argument with. Levy is a smooth talker as well, too witty for her own good. And Mirajane? Well. She's _Mirajane_. 'Nuff said.

Still...

Even with their combined efforts to convince her of their belief, Lucy can't bring herself to completely do so. Sure, she was swayed a bit, and she'd be lying to herself if she claims now that her heart didn't thump a few beats faster when Mirajane delivered to her that last blow then, but... but...

"Oh, it's just so _weird_!" she cries out suddenly, stopping on her tracks. "Don't you think so too, Plue?"

As if knowing what his mistress meant, the tiny spirit raises a quivering left arm. "Puu-puuun!"

Lucy giggles.

At least, someone—err, something agrees with her.

Yes, it's weird and it's not _enough_, she decides. What Levy, Lisanna and Mirajane told her, no matter how credible it sounded, is still just an assumption, after all. Maybe if the person in question provides a solid proof himself, she won't be such a non-believer, but that's just wishful thinking, of course. Gray is practically unapproachable right now, with his scary mood swings and all... And even if she somehow gathers the _balls_ to ask him herself, Lucy doubts that she'd get anything out of it. Her three friends were being naïve. That blasted _stripper_ is as stubborn as a butt-naked mule; one will have to thoroughly break him to get through to him.

And Gray Fullbuster is not one to break easily (unless he's under Erza's murderous stare, but she's no Erza, and that's not the point anyway).

A frown makes its way to her face as Lucy heaves out another resigned sigh, feeling irritated all of a sudden. "This is crazy..."

"Puun?"

"Do you know what that jerk is doing to me, Plue?" She faces the shaky creature, pouting.

Plue tilts his head sideways in question. "Puu-puun?" He blinks once, then begins to jump urgently after a short pause, both arms raised this time. "Puun! Puu-puun, puuun! Puuuuuun!"

The blonde nods, taking her spirit's frenzied action as a prompting gesture. "Yes, _yes_, you're absolutely right!" she exclaims with conviction, much to Plue's horror.

"Puuuuun! Puuu-puuuun!"

"Oh, yes, he's... He's a—God! Gray is such a—_Oh_!"

The dog spirit suddenly latches onto the girl's right leg, cutting her off. Given his size, the impact isn't forceful, but his unexpected action catches Lucy off-guard, and she takes a step back, her opposite foot barely landing on the edge. "P-Plue?" she asks uncertainly, looking down at the small, white being.

"Puun! Puun! Puu-puuun!"

"What's wrong?"

"Hey, that's dangerous, you know."

Lucy instantly stiffens at the sound of a deep, masculine and _very_ familiar voice, chocolate-brown eyes widening in realization. It takes her about two seconds to come back to her senses, and as soon as she does so, she whirls around to come face-to-face with none other than Fairy Tail's resident ice mage—

"G-Gray! Wow, wha—_AHH_!"

—and promptly loses her balance on the shallow curb.

"Puuu-puuu-puuuuuun!"

Great. Just great.

She is _SO_ not ready for this.

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"O-OI! WATCH OUT!"

Lucy feels the gravity begin to pull her, but before she can fully come to terms with the fact that she's about to fall into the freezing waters below her, there is a sound of boots clicking, and a pair of hands grabs her wrists roughly, dragging her forward just enough to steady her feet.

"Eh?" She blinks dazedly, and after a good while, her blank eyes focus on Gray's own steely ones. "Wh-what just happened...?"

"What do _you _think?" The ice mage scowls. He moves to release her wrist, but clutches them again tightly when his blonde teammate suddenly jerks and proceeds to look left, right, up and down in panic. "You're really gonna fall if you keep that up, you know."

"P-PLUE!" she cries out. "Oh, no, he—"

"Relax, dummy," he says in a bored tone, effectively stopping her. "Your pet should be back to his world now. I saw him do that thing he does when he'd disappear right before I caught you."

It takes a few seconds for Lucy to process his words, but when she does, relief quickly washes over her features. She sighs, shoulders sagging, then turns back to young man before her as if noticing his presence for the first time. As chocolate meets obsidian, her breath hitches. "H-hi, Gray..."

Gray, in turn, remains silent as he continues to watch her. After a brief moment, he exhales loudly, and releases her hands from his tight grip. "Geez, Lucy," he utters, slightly exasperated. "This is why someone as clumsy as you shouldn't be walking around the riverbank like this."

Lucy's face grows red almost quickly, and whatever reluctance she has earlier quickly disperses as she glares at her savior. "Mou, I'm not clumsy!" she retorts. "Y-you just startled me, and I lost my balance."

Gray smirks. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Princess."

"It's the truth!" She stomps her foot, pouting. "And don't call me Princess!"

"Why not?"

"Because I said so!"

"That's not good enough."

"Graaaaay..."

The ice mage simply shrugs his shoulders, earning nothing but a deeper frown from the petite ex-princess, and for some reason, he can't help but release a short chuckle.

"What? _Whaaaat?_"

"Nothing, Lucy," he hums. "Just lighten up, will you? I was only teasing."

The blonde blinks, then recoils shortly. "S-sorry..." She peers at her teammate for an instant, before she composes herself and continues in a smoother tone. "Anyway, um, thanks for helping me out." In all honesty, she wouldn't have lost her balance and almost slipped from the curb if Gray didn't show up out of the blue... but he doesn't need to know that.

"No problem." he tells her automatically.

Silence ensues, in which Gray chooses to stare up at the sky, and Lucy wordlessly observes him, drinking in his appearance.

Spiky ebony-colored hair, sharp obsidian orbs, the same scar on his forehead, and the usual apathetic expression on his face. Gray, she notes, is very easy on the eyes — quite a looker, actually. He's also tall, much taller than she acknowledged. Lucy doesn't know if he has always been like this (and if so, it is only now that she _notices_, apparently), or that she just happens to be wearing a pair of simple flats instead of her heeled sandals or boots, making her about three or four inches shorter, but... but... _Wow_. Even with her standing on the ledge (which is about a foot long, she estimates), her eyes barely level with his own. Wow, indeed. She feels like a midget before him all of a sudden.

Oh, and he's fully-clothed for once, which is good — really, _really_, good (black turtleneck shirt underneath a long, white, high-collared coat with dark blue lining, and loose, dark gray pants tucked inside a pair of black, leather, knee-length boots). Too bad he has this disturbing habit of stripping spontaneously; otherwise, he can be as popular as Loke is with the ladies. Sure, he has a nice body and all (and why on earth does she keep on mentioning that anyway?), but flaunting it too much is just... yeah, too much, as well. It's a shame, really. He could be a real charmer, but he just had to ruin the image with his stripping fetish.

Then again, she supposes it's better this way. Gray won't be _Gray_ without his streak of indecent exposures — it's a crucial part of being Gray Fullbuster, after all. Besides, imagine what kind of drama Juvia would set off if a horde of women begins to fangirl over the ice mage. The blonde shudders at the thought; it'll be a complete massacre, for sure.

...Still, she can't help but think that Gray _does_ make for a good eye-candy — with or without the exhibitionism. Not to mention he's one of the most powerful mages in Fairy Tail, and practices probably the most beautiful kind of magic around (next to Celestial Spirit magic, just so she's clear). She hasn't told anyone yet, but ever since he first showed her his abilities during the train ride for the Eisenwald crisis a few years back, she's always been fascinated by his magic. It's the prettiest thing, an exquisite form of art. And because ice melts (_gradually, tenderly, eventually_), every weapon, shield and ornament he sculpts becomes all the more beautiful to her eyes.

So, yes, he's a pretty darn good catch, she thinks. And if her friends are right about him liking her, then that makes her one, lucky girl.

The question is: Does he _really_?

Right now, he seems to be more interested in looking up at the sky (and maybe check on the weather while he's at it) than pay attention to her.

...What's up with that?

Lucy doesn't seem to realize that she's been studying her teammate for quite a while now, and it is only at the sound of Gray's choked snicker that she snaps out from her stupor. His grin is noticeably wider than before as he regards her with wicked amusement, and she blinks, confused.

_What's so funny?_

"You know, Lucy..." the ice alchemist says, eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm perfectly aware I'm yummy and sexy and all that; I've been told as much, actually. Buuuut—" He pauses for a split second to fold his arms, the muscles on his biceps showing even through the thick fabric of his white coat. "—do you really have to eye-hump me so openly?"

Lucy's jaw drops. "WH-_WHAT_!" she manages to squawk, eyes as wide as saucers.

Did she hear him right?

Did he just say _eye-hump _to her face?

It's bad enough that he caught her staring, but to put it so bluntly as _eye-humping_?

She doesn't even know what the word means (it must be a guy thing, she muses amidst her mental breakdown), but judging from Gray's reaction (he's laughing at her, the jerk!), he must think it's terribly hilarious _and _perverted. Lucy doesn't like it, not one bit.

Exhaling heavily, she scrutinizes her teammate's _still_ laughing face, and _very _calmly, flicked his nose in one fluid motion.

"OW! Lucy, what the hell!" he yelps incredulously.

The blonde merely huffs, sticking her nose in the air as she puts her hands on her hips. "That's what you get for making fun of a lady."

Really, she can't believe this guy. How can he turn from a grumpy teammate, to a cool savior, to a brooding hottie, to a perverted narcissist in just a span of roughly ten minutes? Stupid Gray and his stupid mood swings — it's beyond her, really.

Deciding that she's had enough teasing for the day (why does everyone seem to take pleasure in making her the butt-monkey anyway?), Lucy proceeds to stalk away from him and to her home, leaving the black-haired lad to nurse his injured nose. She feels a bit rueful for doing so (as a Heartfilia, she's been raised with proper etiquette, after all), but she's not about to hang out with the jerk if he's going all sorts of _Ice Make: Evil _on her!

Besides, she still has a lot of things to do for the day: take a bath, write to her mom, summon Plue again and give him a quick apology for the mishap earlier, find a job to pay her rent (she's about 50,000 Jewels short, dammit!)... What else?

Oh, right.

Mull over what her friends told her concerning the same ice mage she left just a moment ago — and figure out what the _hell_ she's going to do about it.

When the sound of footsteps reaches her ears, Lucy snaps out from her reverie to find Gray walking alongside her. She eyes him curiously, but his sights are set straight ahead, lips pursed into a thin, grim line. His nose is still a bit red though, she notes with wicked pleasure. Oh, but he is looking _pissed_.

Deducing that Gray doesn't seem to be going anywhere else soon, the blonde lets a few seconds to pass before she speaks again. Perhaps a change of subject will lighten the mood.

"So, what are you doing here?" she questions.

Yes, that's a good topic to begin with. This place isn't anywhere near the guild or the woods where Fairy Tail members usually train. What business could he possibly have on this side of town?

_He better _not _crash in my apartment again._, she grumbles inwardly.

Much to her disappointment, the ice wizard remains silent.

"Um... Did you just get back from your mission?"

A short intake of breath. "Aa..."

_Oh._

...Wait, that's it?

Lucy glances at her nakama once again, somehow finding it odd that he's not chiding her for bruising his nose, but dismisses the thought promptly. He deserves it anyway, and he probably knows it as well. "How was it then?"

"...It was all right," Gray replies after another while. "Although it could have gone a bit better, I think." This comment earns an inquisitive look from the girl on the ledge, and he sighs. "Juvia is... Well, something seemed to happen between her and our client's daughter. She's been down ever since."

"Oh? Why is that?"

He shrugs his shoulders, folding his arms once again. "Beats me. She didn't even talk to me on our way home."

Lucy raises a delicate eyebrow at that. Juvia passing up an opportunity to be all lovey-dovey with her _Gray-sama_? On a mission involving just the two of them no less? Now, _that's_ a first. "I wonder if she's okay..." she can't help but blurt out.

"Tch. Maybe. Who knows?" Gray mutters. "Like I said, she didn't talk to me." There is a hint of aggravation to his voice that Lucy didn't miss, and despite herself, she grins.

"Why, Gray, could it be~?" she coos playfully, stopping midstride to peer at her teammate. "Are you, by any chance, worried about dear, sweet Juvia?"

The young man's eye twitches. "Baka! Of course, I am, but it's not like _that_, okay?"

Lucy giggles, evidently pleased that the tides have turned (for once), and she's now the one doing the teasing. "Sure, but why not?" she asks him laughingly. "I mean, Juvia's cute and—"

"She's not my type."

"_Oooh_, so she's not your type, huh~?" She remains rooted on her spot, bobbing her head understandingly for a while, until she actually comprehends what she just heard. "Wait, what?" she inquires, gaping at Gray in disbelief. "You... _You_ have a type?"

The ice mage smirks amusedly. "It's no big deal, Lucy," he tells her. "I'm a _guy_, just so you know. Heck, even Natsu has _his _type."

Lucy can only nod dumbly at his comment, mind reeling from her discovery.

Gray has a _type_? Her stripper of a teammate actually has a type?

She shouldn't be — _this_ — surprised by such a simple fact, should she?

What in heaven's name is happening to her?

Suddenly, Mirajane's sickeningly sweet face popped in her mind, but she rebuffs it just as quickly.

_No, this _can't_ be the time yet!_, she tells herself. _It's too soon!_

In the midst of her inner turmoil, Lucy's chocolate-brown pools peer curiously at her teammate, and finds him busily rummaging through the satchel on his shoulder. She watches how his brows knit together in concentration, and his pair of deep, obsidian pools glint with something akin to determination and frustration as he continues to ferret about his bag for an elusive article that is yet to show itself. A gentle breeze triggers his sleek, spiky, ebony hair to fly in unruly thickets, causing a portion of his scar to peek out from underneath the troublesome locks, and when his mouth parts slightly to reveal the tip of a pink tongue that is poised to moisten his dried lips, Lucy—

Oh, no.

Oh, _hell_ no.

Lucy gulps, feeling hot all of a sudden.

Cautiously, she steals another glance at the young man.

—only to quickly wish that she hadn't.

...Dear Lord.

_Sparkles_.

Gray is... _sparkling_.

Gray _freakin'_ Fullbuster is _sparkling_ on her!

The poor blonde can hardly believe it. Blinking (_once, twice, thrice_), she bids to draw in a shaky breath to calm her nerves, but her jaw immediately snaps shut when a familiar _thump_ in her chest unexpectedly makes its presence known. Then another. And another. And another—

Lucy almost groans out in exasperation.

_Just because Mira-san said he _may-sorta-kinda_ like me, my heart's beating so fast!_, her mind screams. _This _can't_ be happening! I haven't even—_

"Hey, Lucy?"

At the sound of Gray's voice, the Celestial Spirit mage comes back to reality with a start. Steadying her stance, she turns to the raven-haired wizard, her inner turmoil forgotten for the meantime. "Y-yes?" she squeaks.

The usual indifferent expression on his features has been replaced by that of pure uneasiness, and Lucy feels a rise of panic within her at the prospect that her teammate could have seen through her train of thoughts. But before she has a chance to voice out her concern (or do anything else, for that matter), a pouch is clumsily shoved to her face. "AH! H-hey, what—"

"That's for you." Gray simply reveals.

The girl eyes him warily, then looks down at the sack, weighing it with her hands. "Wh-what is this?" The bag is quite heavy, she surmises.

"Open it."

Tentatively, she does so, and releases a surprised gasp in an instant. "WOAH! What the—_Gray_?" she cries out, snapping her head up with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Despite his obvious discomfort, the ice mage manages a light chuckle. "That's roughly 500,000 Jewels," he says, inserting his hands in his pockets. "It should cover your rent for about half a year."

"I-I don't understand... I mean, w-why are you—" Lucy begins to ramble, completely taken aback by her nakama's unexpected gift, when a sudden idea hits her. "Wait, is this... Is this why you've been signing up for those odd jobs one after the other?"

"Uh, yeah..." he answers wearily, quirking an eyebrow. "By the way, who told you that?"

She tightens her hold on the pouch, her thoughts drifting to what her friends said a few hours ago. "Then... W-when they said that... that you've been working to give something special to someone, i-it was _this_?"

"Oi, how did you—"

"I CAN'T ACCEPT THIS!" she interrupts quickly, thrusting the bag back to his chest with both hands before she can even comprehend what she's doing. Her mind is going absolutely haywire; this is all so freakishly _new_ to her! "Y-YOU TAKE IT!"

Gray cringes at the sudden impact to his torso, but recovers just enough to clasp his hands around the blonde's wrists, and give her an indignant frown. "O-Oi, I worked hard for this!"

"Exactly!" comes her immediate retort, meeting his glare with the same tenacity. "And that's why you should be the one to take it. It's YOUR money, Gray."

His scowl deepens. "Don't be such a drama queen, you drama queen," He pushes the pouch back to her, his hands enveloping her small fists and locking them in place in case the girl decides to throw the bag of Jewels to him again. "I only wanted to pay you back for what I owe you."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"The Vanille Bistro incident!" he nearly shouts.

Lucy shoots him a dubious look.

"And—and s-some others as well." he adds, wincing for his slight stutter. Here, he removes his hold on her, and rakes a hand through his spiky hair. "I mean, I get that you've been working to pay your rent, and somehow, I always manage to... mess things up for you—at least, that's what Erza said. I don't even know half of what I've been doing then, but uh..." He pauses to glance at her, his eyes seemingly willing her to understand _something_, yet the blonde's face is a mask of utter bewilderment, and he sighs. "I... Well, I figured I should, you know, make it up to you, so... so there." he finishes at last, gesturing to the pouch on her hands.

Lucy doesn't realize that she has been holding her breath the whole time he was talking, and her lungs burn when she finally releases a breath. To say she is surprised is... just about right. But more than that, she is _curious_. Yes, it _was_ (indirectly) his fault why she couldn't do her missions properly (for being uncharacteristically protective, for scaring away most of their clients, for giving a whole new meaning to _moody_ these past few weeks just to name a few), and a part of her is secretly pleased that he knows — he _knows_ and is actually taking the initiative to make up for it, but... but why _this_? And why so much?

"Hey, you're the one who's always whining about rent."

Lucy blinks. Did she say something?

"But if you want something else, you're free to use the money however."

She bites back a groan. _Stupid, stupid mouth!_

"It's n-not like that. I—I mean, um... It wasn't..." The blonde swallows thickly, unable to give a decent reply at the moment. She tries to backpedal, but Gray reflexively catches her elbow, stopping her. Realizing that he has just saved her _again_ from falling to the river, Lucy blushes embarrassingly for her carelessness.

After a short while, she braves another look at him, just to gauge his reaction, and notes that his expression is back to its usual apathy. This, for some reason, causes her cheeks to flush hotter. How can he be so calm when he's making her feel so lightheaded like this? Does he even know what he's doing to her?

Lucy squeezes her eyes shut, mentally pressing herself to focus. This isn't the time for her thoughts to stray from the topic at hand. Inhaling, she peeks at the bag on her hands once again, and quickly feels her brows furrow at the sight of the wads of Jewels inside. "This... This is just too much, Gray..." she tells him in a soft voice. "You do know that my monthly rent is only 70,000 Jewels, right?"

"I know," He merely nods. "But like I said, you can keep the rest as an advance."

It takes a few more heartbeats for the petite mage to reply. With a shake of her head, she gingerly thrusts the pouch to his chest, a weak, yet fond smile on her face. "This is really sweet of you, Gray, but..." She pauses for a split second, considering her next words. "I... really can't accept this."

Gray simply gives her a blank look.

"Don't get me wrong, okay?" Lucy continues, trying to make light of the issue. "I'm really grateful that you're so generous like this, but see, my rent is my own problem. I'm sure I can find a way to ge—"

"Take it, Lucy." the black-haired youngster interrupts, once again handing the bag back to the stubborn blonde.

Lucy purses her lips. "...B-but why?"

"Why?" Gray echoes, looking at her like she's a particularly slow child. "Like I said, I owe you."

"No, you don't." she instantly counters. "I mean, I never held you responsible for whatever mishaps that happened." Not _outwardly_, at least. She tries to shove the pouch to his chest, but the ice mage wisely takes a step back, which leaves her holding the object at arm's length between them.

"Yeah? Well, I do, okay? So, take it."

This time, Lucy frowns, annoyed that her teammate is being difficult. Why is he so adamant that she take the money anyway? She gets that he owes her somehow, but... is that really all there is to it?

"Take it, Lucy." he repeats.

The girl's scowl deepens. "Why should I?" She raises her chin defiantly, and Gray's own expression hardens.

"Because I said so."

"That's not good enough."

Okay, wait. Didn't they have this kind of conversation a few minutes ago?

"Stop being so bull-headed, you princess!"

And didn't she hear that comment somewhere before as well?

"Don't call me that!"

"Then, take the money!"

"Again, why should I?"

"It's because I said so, _stupid_!"

"And that's not good enough, you _jerk_!"

By this time, almost all passers-by are already gaping at them wide-eyed.

Lucy Heartfilia, the friendly, chipper blonde bombshell who packs a mean punch despite her sweet appearance. The girl-next-door with an army of powerful Celestial Spirits under her command.

Gray Fullbuster, the cool, composed rebel whose ice he wields makes him one of the most formidable mages in the whole kingdom. The good-looking boy-now-man with an unfortunate stripping habit still.

"Take it!"

"Why!"

Both are prominent members of Fairy Tail — two _grown-ups _whose talents and powers as mages demand respect from everyone.

"For Chrissakes, Lucy, just shut up and _take the damn money_!"

"_WHY_!"

...And yet, they're found exchanging heated, but gibberish words like a couple of wailing kindergarteners.

An awkward silence envelops them.

"Tch." Gray mutters, taking notice of their audience.

Lucy, for her part, feels herself shrinking in utter shame. Just why did she have to lose her cool at a place and time like this?

She blames it on Mirajane, and Lisanna, and Levy.

She blames it on the weather; dark clouds always make her edgy.

She blames it on Gray's sudden surprise and his inability to provide her the _proper_ reason behind it. Is it _really_ just because he owes her and nothing _else_?

But most of all, she blames it on her own stubbornness, and that stupid _thump-thump-thump_ in her chest.

When she hears the fishermen call out "_Take it easy, you lovebirds!_" somewhere on the waters behind her, Lucy goes rigid. They really can't pick a better moment to humor her, can they?

"Goddammit..." Gray grunts irritably, eyes squeezed shut as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

And just when Lucy is starting to wonder how possible it is to die of further embarrassment, the ice mage suddenly pulls her by the wrist and wordlessly whisks her away from the riverbank, leaving the curious townsfolk to watch after their retreating figures with raised brows, amused smiles and identical sighs of—

"Ah, young love..."

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**tsuzuku. **

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**History:**  
>02.01.12 ~ First published.<br>.

_I apologize if this chapter was heavy with dialogues, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. I did my best to portray Gray as in-character as possible, but damn, he is just so, so, sooooooooo hard to write! On the other hand, a paranoid and mind-f*cked Lucy is just fun. Heehee~_

_** Now, as for the 'sparkling' bit, that's NOT a reference to Twilight.** God, NO! *pukes* Think 'shoujo', my darlings. A sparkly background usually appears when a character sees another one in a different light, right? Romantically, give or take. That's what I've been aiming here. Lucy looking at Gray, then the sparkles come, then warning bells begin to sound in her head because...! Because...! She's actually checking him out, AND finding him attractive that her heart begins to thump. Got it? Good.  
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_As usual, reviews, comments, criticisms, suggestions and the likes fuel my passion for writing, so get to it! Onegaishimasu~ :3  
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	3. she burns, he wins

_Oh, hey, I'm alive! Now, isn't that nice? 8D_

_This chapter was supposed to wrap up everything on Lucy's end in "**Chaos Theory**", but it got too long, so I had to divide it. So much for finishing this in 3 chapters. Pfft.  
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_Anyway, the scene below will most likely be the last of GrayLu for this story. Such a bummer, right? Well, I made sure to prolong their moment as much as possible, so you **better** enjoy it still, mm'kay? *cracks knuckles*  
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_**Standard disclaimers apply.  
><strong>__**Rated T for... Well. Just because.**__**  
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**Chaos Theory  
>By: Sechskies<strong>

_This is** not** a love story, but it **is** a story nonetheless._**  
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**three. **

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Amidst the jumbled thoughts and mixed emotions swirling dizzily in her mind, Lucy is able to recall that today is actually a Wednesday — the _official _worst day of the week. She can't really explain why, but to her, Wednesdays are never, _ever _good.

As proof of this claim, she has woken up this morning by falling off her bed, realized with a loud groan that all her regular undies have yet to be washed and that the only article left happened to be an old pair of dorky, faded yellow granny panties with a cartoon print of a kitten on the front and a short cat's tail stitched at the back (which, by the way, used to be her favorite when she was still in her preteens), got _bullied_ by Mirajane, Lisanna and Levy into believing that a certain black-haired ice mage likes her, almost fell off the river — only to be saved by the same young man her friends are setting her up with, leading to more awkward, mind-boggling, and _painfully_ mortifying situations that further solidify her hate for Wednesdays.

Like repeatedly losing her composure in front of said pseudo-Casanova. Or almost falling off the river once again... _twice_. Or unwittingly making a complete fool out of herself in the middle of an unsuspecting crowd.

Heck, she won't be surprised if she finds Natsu and Happy messing around in her apartment. Granted that they do it all the time — sometimes, even with Erza and Gray himself —, it will only serve as an icing to the _cake_ she calls her 'disastrous day'.

God, how she hates Wednesdays! And right now, she doesn't care if she sounds like a broken record for mentally saying it, but she really, really, _really_ does.

—especially when she's being manhandled by one Gray Fullbuster, her stripper nakama, who is also the cause of her recent distress _and_ earlier embarrassments.

_Just who does he think he is!_, she inwardly fumes.

Summoning whatever confidence she has left, Lucy opens her mouth to protest, when Gray suddenly halts and releases her wrist. It doesn't take long for her to realize that they are now standing in front of her apartment.

"Now, look here and listen well," the ice mage begins, taking the bag of Jewels from her hand and dangling it to her befuddled mug. "I didn't work my ass off for this just so you can throw it back to my face for something as stupid as your _pride_—"

"Hey!" Lucy cries, offended, but Gray simply ignores her.

"The money is a gift, got it? I did it for you—o_nly_ for _you_. End of story," he finishes, and drops the pouch to her hands. "So, not another word, you hear?"

The blonde bites her lower lip. "But, Gra—"

"NOT. Another. WORD._ Lucy_." he interjects sharply, making her flinch.

Now, here's another reason to hate Wednesdays, Lucy notes sourly — Gray being especially moody. Really, what did she do to deserve a treatment such as this? She must have done something terribly _evil_ in her past life.

"Like kick puppies..."

"...What?"

She blinks. "Eh?"

Gray is gaping at her like she's just said something completely idiotic — and with a mixed feeling of alarm and dread, the poor Celestial Spirit mage fathoms that she actually _did. _Again.

She groans; it is all she can do to keep herself from face-palming. She really needs to stop getting carried away with her musings, darn it! "S-sorry, I—I didn't mean to say that out loud. I was, u-um..." she trails off, realizing that she doesn't have any ready excuses. She can't just tell him she was busy lamenting over his erratic temper, can she?

_Of course not._

"Look, don't worry about it," the boy suddenly remarks, his tone dismissive. "Just take the money and it's all good."

Lucy's eyebrows crease in question. ""Why do you—" she begins to utter again, but freezes up at the sight of Gray narrowing his eyes at her, as if to say "_Don't start, or _else_."_. Her frown deepens at this, but whatever spark of irritation she feels is settled almost quickly in the confines of her head. Despite her own stubbornness to back down, she knows a lost cause when she sees one, and if her past experiences with him (namely, the embarrassing shouting contest earlier) taught her anything, it's never to push it when the ice mage specifically tells her _not_ to.

Yes, she'll just have to set aside the _whywhywhy's — _for now.

One, two, three heartbeats later, the blonde decides to start again. "...Are you really sure about this, Gray?"

A grunt. "Lucy..."

"What? I'm just saying..."

"Saying _what._"

She pouts. "That, well, this is a huge amount of money."

"I can see that."

"A-and you're really gonna give this to me?"

"Already did."

"Eh? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Really?"

"_Really_." he answers, brow twitching.

Lucy remains silent for a moment, chocolate-brown eyes holding his intense, smoldering gaze carefully, thoughtfully, before her expression softens, and she nods in understanding. "...Okay," she tells him meekly, lips curling into a small smile. "Thank you, Gray."

The black-haired youth visibly relaxes at this, appearing fully relieved that the stubborn girl has finally relented. "Yeah. No problem."

"I promise I'll pay you back, so—"

"Woah! Hey, hold on," he suddenly cuts in. "The money's not a loan; it's a gift — an apology _gift, _get it? So, no need to pay me back."

Lucy's frown returns. "Are you really sure about this, Gray?"

Another growl, a menacing one at that. "For cryin' out loud, _Lucy_—"

"Okay, okay!" she cries, raising her hands defensively in panic. "I was just asking. Chill, Gray, geez!"

The ice mage snorts, and Lucy lets out a long-suffering sigh, wondering just how more she can take of her teammate's moodiness, when another thought hits her.

"Why money, by the way?" she inquires out of the blue, eyes wide with wonder. "I mean, it's an unconventional gift for someone, don't you think? Even as an apology..."

"Yeah, but..." Gray cocks his head to the side as he regards her bemusedly. "Isn't that what you want in the first place? You were always whining about how much money you need for your rent." he comments, to which the girl begins to splutter, face heating up.

Gee whiz, he made her sound like a flat-broke wailer! How she wishes she can disagree and tell him off like any independent, self-respecting lady, but—

_Darn it, it's all true~!_, her mind laments.

"Why? Do you have something else in mind?"

Still groveling inwardly, Lucy shakes her head. "No..." she bemoans, then abruptly pauses as if remembering something. "Oh, hey, I was thinking..."

"Thinking what?"

"That... if you wanted to make it up to me, you could have just helped me work for the money, rather than, well, do it on your own," she finishes with her usual, friendly smile.

Gray flashes her a lazy grin of his own. "Ah, well, it's too late for that, yeah?" he says, and raises a hand to knead the back of his neck as he takes a deep breath, then adds in a softer voice, "Besides, that's not really a good idea."

"Why not? We did it before, didn't we?" The blonde is quick to ask. Still holding the bag of Jewels, she clasps her hands behind her, bending her body forward to peer playfully at the ice mage from below. "And we're friends, so it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

At her childlike gesture, Gray allows a soft chuckle to escape from his lips, before they mellow down into a fond, yet weak smile. "It's... different now." he finally says, obsidian depths boring into hers almost meaningfully.

Instantly, Lucy feels her heart jerk, tighten and stop. Her breath is seized, and for a moment, she is dazed.

_Does this mean...? Can he really be...?_

Between the strange look in his eyes and the seemingly awkward silence enveloping them, a mix of emotions is ignited within her. There is curiosity and mild panic, and a lingering annoyance from earlier, and... and another feeling that she can't quite place and doesn't want to think about. Gazing at the black-haired young man, however, she can feel her irritation lessen, and this other sentiment stir.

This... can't be good.

Slowly, she straightens her posture, closes her eyes, and counts from one to ten as she heaves deeply.

Inhale.

Exhale.

What does she say in this kind of situation?

"I..."

Is she even supposed to say _anything_?

"Umm..."

"I have to go." Gray suddenly announces, causing the girl to snap her head up with a start.

"Huh? W-what?"

He gives her another quick grin, his eyes twinkling mischievously at her dumbfounded expression. "I haven't reported back to Mira yet," is all he tells her, before turning around and raising a hand in greeting. "I'll see you when I see you, okay?"

"W-wait!" Lucy calls out, only for the air to briefly leave her lungs when the young man looks back at her. Her heart is practically hammering in her ears now, but she does her best to ignore the stupid sound. "Ah, w-well..." She holds out the pouch in front of her, smiling shyly. "Thanks again for this."

He nods. "Sure."

"A-and..." She averts her eyes to the ground. "I know you said I don't have to return the favor, but, um, really, i-if there's anything you need, I—"

"It's okay, Lucy. Seriously, don't sweat it." he tells her with a weak grin, and prepares to leave once again.

"How about a date then?"

Gray stops. "A... date?" he asks slowly, whirling his head around to stare at the blonde, an unreadable expression on his face.

"That's right!" Lucy chirps. It takes a few seconds for her brain to realize what she just said. Her embarrassment from earlier returns tenfold, and she flails her arms wildly. "N-NO! I-I-I—_Don't look at me like that_! I was—i-it's no-ot—MOU! _Stop laughing, Gray_!"

She can't believe how crappy this day is turning out for her! Why does she keep on losing her cool in front of him like this? Wednesdays really, really, _really_ suck!

"Okay, okay, I get it. No need to give me the evil eyes, you know." Gray tells her once he's calmed down. He tilts his head to the side, a slight quirk to his lips as he surveys her amusedly. "So, it's a friendly date, right?"

"Of course it is!" the girl cries out, looking back at him with a dubious frown. "I mean, I can't just _not _pay you back, Gray. At least, let me treat you somewhere."

"Weeell..."

"As friends." she quickly adds, earning a chuckle from her teammate.

"Fine. When?"

Lucy pauses. She didn't expect he'd relent so quickly (not that she is expecting _anything _— it's SO not a date!) "Uh... How about tonight? Or we can go for lunch tomorrow. Your pick."

"Ah, tonight it is then," He nods his head. "I'll be away for two days starting tomorrow."

"Eh? Another mission?" The blonde feels herself frowning again. Since when did Gray become such a workaholic? It's not even time for the S-Class Trials yet. And he already got her more than enough Jewels for her rent, didn't he? Before she can voice out her concern, however, the black-haired youth begins to speak.

"It's payment to Juvia for having her assist me in my job this morning," he supplies, shrugging halfheartedly with his usual nonchalance. "Like you, I have to return the favor one way or another, yeah?"

"Oh. R-right, fair enough." Lucy bobs her head numbly. Somehow, hearing Gray talk about the water mage for the second time that day gives her this unexplainable feeling. It's weird because she wasn't like this before — she even tried teasing him about the rain woman a while ago, didn't she? She finds herself starting to wonder about this strange development within her, but quickly decides against it and promptly brushes it off as... as... nerves. Right. Just nerves. She's still rattled from the events earlier, after all (especially the bag of money; she still can't believe Gray gave her so much!). Yes, she's perfectly qualified to have them at this point. Nerves, that is.

Smiling reluctantly, she makes to tell him "_Then, please thank Juvia for me as well_", but for some reason, her statement came out as:

"You and Juvia seem to be doing a lot of missions together lately, huh?"

_...Crap._

And she sounded so friggin' _paranoid_ when she said it too!

Lucy would very much like to turn around and just smack her forehead into the wall over and over until all the stupidity in her system is gone (How in Zeref's name can she let her mouth run amok like that for the third—_THIRD!_—time? It's just... so beyond her!), but she knows it's impossible with Gray pinning her down with his dark, intense eyes, looking as though she's grown another head or something.

Thus, gathering the very scarce remains of what was once her _poise_, she stays rooted in her spot, trying hard to twist her face into a fairly normal expression despite the blush threatening to creep up her face, and acting like there's nothing wrong with what she just said.

And just to prove her point, she repeats herself. "I—I said, you and Juvia seem to be doing a lot of missions together lately."

It takes a few seconds for the young man to recover from the shock. "Don't worry, Lucy," He sounds amused — _not_ good; the blonde reflexively braces herself. "It won't be just us. Wendy will be there too."

...Oh. _Oh._

The girl lets out a breath she doesn't know she's been holding, and her shoulders sag at his answer.

Is she relieved?

Apparently, yes, for _some _unknown (unacknowledged) reason.

"Th-that's, um, nice..."

Gray nods in understanding, mouth twitching. "Yup, so no need to get all jealou—"

"I am NOT!" she practically screeches, but this only serves to make the ice mage grin wider. Her nose flares, and she runs up to him, having had enough of his teasing. "Gray, stop bullying me, you... youuuuu... _bully_! I am SO _NOT_ jealous, you hear?" She makes to punch his chest repeatedly — something she usually does when the black-haired youth is being especially irritating —, but Gray would always, _always _intercept her every assault, blocking her fists first, then covering them with his larger hands, and watching her struggle out of his grasp with wicked amusement.

"Woah!Hey, Lu—_OW!_ Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" he remarks amidst her fit. Lucy throws him a suspicious glare, and he grins apologetically — even though the laughter is still present in his eyes. "I can't help it, alright? You're just so edgy today, Lucy. It's so unlike you."

The girl stiffens, frown still in place for a moment. Then, as if a light switch has been turned on, she pulls back with a slight jerk, feeling awkward all of a sudden.

"What is it?" Gray asks, bemused.

"Nothing, I was just..." Lucy's face crumples once again, not liking the words forming in her mind. "I—I was..."

—_obsessing a bit too much over the possibility that you kinda-sorta-maybe like me, and now I'm such a nervous wreck because—because—!_

"Is it that time of the month again?"

"NO!" The expression on her face makes him back away, and she sighs noisily. "It's... just been a long day for me, okay? Let's leave it at that..."

For once, the ice mage appears sympathetic. "Right, well, you should call it a day and unwind then."

"Mmm, I'll do that."

"You better. We wouldn't want you looking haggard for tonight's _friendly_ date, after all." he adds as he smirks teasingly at her.

Despite herself, a soft giggle escapes from Lucy's lips. "No, definitely not." she assents, and Gray nods, satisfied with her reply.

Their eyes meet again, chocolate-brown shimmering with unspoken words against steely obsidian softening at the sight of her. Not another sound is made at that brief moment. A half-smile etches itself on his face, and she automatically returns it with a cheerful, but shy beam of her own.

"Well, I gotta run." he declares at last, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Lucy merely bobs her head in agreement. Surely, there is nothing else that needs to be said between them.

"I'll pick you up tonight at eight, okay? _Prepare yourself_."

She laughs lightly at his supposed 'threat', a soft, melodious titter. "I will."

"Good." he remarks, and with a quick salute to the fair-haired teen, Gray saunters away from her apartment complex, stance languid and attitude as cool like the ice mage he is.

Lucy hates the way her heart skipped a beat at the smile he gave her before leaving.

.

.

.

.

.

She doesn't like him.

She doesn't have a crush on him.

She doesn't see him as anything more than her stripper nakama.

Why?

She just _doesn't_, and that's _that_!

So what if he's tall and lean and muscular? Or that his smiles and smirks and grins she suddenly finds cute that her heart flutters every time he gives her one? Or that he worked those long hours doing missions after missions just to surprise her with 500,000 Jewels for her rent?

He's _Gray_, for crying out loud! He's just a friend. He's _supposed_ to be _just_ her friend.

She doesn't like him.

She _can't_ like him!

She absolutely can_not_ li—

Oh, who is she kidding!

Lucy lets out a woeful moan, face crumpled in helpless misery. The bathtub's warm water seems to have no effect in soothing her mind and body as she leans her head on the tiled wall, her mind a complete maelstrom.

Okay, fine. So she likes Gray. _Big deal_.

It's just a teensy weensy bit of a crush; it's not as if it actually means something, _anything_... right?

_Definitely not!_, her mind dictates.

Right.

So it shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter.

Besides, she can't deal with this right now — not when she's yet to figure out what she's going to do with Gray supposedly liking her, since that happened _first_.

Her own feelings, whatever the hell they are, can _wait_.

Lucy exhales, her breath mingling with the bathroom's steam. Eyes closed and position languid, she tells herself to focus as she goes over everything that happened.

...And finds, to her dismay, nothing enlightening still.

_Noooo, darn it! Think, brain, THINK! _

How can you even tell if someone likes you anyway?

Sure, at a glance, Gray's extravagant gesture may say something about his feelings. Like what Lisanna said, you can't be doing so much for someone who's not special enough. But does that explicitly tell her that he likes her? He said it's because he owes her, but is that just it or there's something more?

Other than that, he's also acting strangely. What's with the unpredictable mood changes and the sad smiles and the smoldering gazes? Has he always been like that? If so, why hasn't she noticed it before? Is she even _supposed_ to take notice? From their encounter earlier, it so looked like there was a part of him that seemed out of it, like his mind was somewhere else. Was he sick? Did he not want to be there? Then why did he seek her out in the first place? Or maybe he didn't and they just happened to bump into each other?

More importantly, since when did she start to _care_ about all of this?

So many questions with hardly any solid answers, and the poor blonde feels she's almost at her wit's end. She doesn't have any_ — _not just enough, but _any_! — experience for this, darn it!

She's screwed, she knows, so hopelessly screwed. And it's times like these when she wishes that she has the power to read minds; it'll definitely make life much easier for he—

Lucy gasps, eyes opening wide at a sudden realization.

_Of course!_

Wow. Okay.

Maybe she's not so screwed after all.

_Maybe._

.

.

.

.

.

**tsuzuku.**

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**History:**  
>05.10.12 ~ First published.<br>.

_Hmm. I think this chapter is... _blah_. Seriously. It started out fine, then it got _meh_ toward the end. I dunno. __What do you think? _

_If it did turn out to be as crappy as I believe it is, well, __I blame it on my work for getting my brain too fried to function. I hate working... and being broke. Be a dear and cheer me up with a review? \:(__**  
><strong>_

_**What's a butt-monkey?** It's someone who's always ridiculed or made fun of _—_ the butt of jokes in a group. I have no idea how the 'monkey' got involved with the name, but to anyone who's asking, I hope this answer suffices. =]  
><em>


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